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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22900063">designs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blossom_Strife/pseuds/Blossom_Strife'>Blossom_Strife</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Mystic Messenger (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, I spent so long on this, Multi, Reader Is Not Main Character (Mystic Messenger), Soulmate-Identifying Marks, and i promise it's actually serious, but i dont know when theyll be out, but!, don't quote me on my DID facts though, im 2 chapters from finishing as of writing the tags, im posting it all in one go, it only lasts for the first couple chapters, mostly - Freeform, saeran has DID, so instead of worrying more, yes this is mainly a chatfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 12:28:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>17,651</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22900063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blossom_Strife/pseuds/Blossom_Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TO V, 00:19<br/>Seven has a twin?</p><p>From V, 00:19<br/>Yes, but he disappeared with Rika<br/>I thought he’d died too, but I was wrong<br/>He was scouting at our party</p><p>TO V, 00:20<br/>He what</p><p>FROM V, 00:20<br/>He asked about you directly, as a matter of fact.<br/>He just wanted to know how you were doing.<br/>_____<br/>My take on a soulmate AU for the RFA, set after day 11 of all routes. Includes reader with alias '505', mc as '606, and saeran as part of a dysfunctional DID system.</p><p>***PREFACE***<br/>The DID shown in this is inaccurate in a few places as I tried to align my headcanons for Saeran with what we see of his character and switches in game. Please take this at face value, and research what you don't understand, and please don't quote the details in this work as fact. </p><p> </p><p>(I tried to keep the 2nd person as impersonal as possible, and I haven't used any of the (y/n) tags bc that shit nasty)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>707 | Choi Luciel/Main Character, Choi Saeran/Reader, Han Jumin/Main Character, Kang Jaehee/Main Character (Mystic Messenger), Kim Yoosung/Main Character, Rika/V | Kim Jihyun, Zen | Ryu Hyun/Main Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>54</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I feel like a toddler that handed art to a parent waiting for approval.<br/>If the formatting is terrible I'm sorry I just copied it all in from docs and then posted it haaaaaah,,,</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Zen has entered the chatroom; 23:57</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   The party surpassed my expectations</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   All thanks to you, Five and Six</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   And Sevennn~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Well,,,,,,,, </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Of course you too Seven</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Yaaaaaaayyyy~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   On the topic of the party, anyone wanna explain why you all disappeared into the conference room before you'd even finished greeting all the guests? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Leaving me alone to deal with all the guests alone? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Uhhhhmmmmmmmm</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   We're all soulmates?</span>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>   The mysterious sixth soulmate has been revealed~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   Your prize is a lifetime with the best group ever~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Okay but seriously though, congrats to you guys</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Hey, you haven’t found your soulmate yet huh</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Nah, but V said something about having an idea on who it might be before he left earlier</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I don’t want to bug him but srsly, could he not have just told me?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The suspense is literally killing me</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>V has entered the chatroom; 00:03</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Speak of the devil</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yes, Five, my apologies for not telling you earlier</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’ll text you what I know later now my suspicions have been confirmed</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    But actually I came in here to congratulate you all on a job well done</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Aw Veeeeeeeee~~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I got a lot of praise for you all from guests who came to talk to me for the brief time I was there</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    How much did we raise in the end?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I think Jumin and Jahee have the exact amount, but it was more than we expected</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Even with all the talks we put on to get extra donations</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’ll be sure to get in contact with him too then</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Ah, I’m being called</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’ll take my leave, Five?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    ?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’ll be in contact in a few minutes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Goodbye, everyone</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span> V has left the chatroom; 00:13</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Gone like the wind</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He never actually takes the time to talk to us, but today he seemed…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    In more of a hurry?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He did say that he knows who my soulmate is, maybe it’s something to do with that?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Not a good sign then,,,,,,,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I guess not</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I should go too, have a good evening everyone!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>606: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    You too!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Sleep well!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has left the chatroom; 00:15</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:17</span>
</p><p>
  
  <a href="https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/551008834949349376/625432153601343499/MCsaeran_souldesign.PNG">
    <span>&lt;s-mark.png&gt;</span>
  </a>
</p><p>
  <span>Recognize this?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:18</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My soulmark?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:18</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s the photo I was sent by your soulmate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s Seven’s twin</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:19</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seven has a twin?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>From V, 00:19</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, but he disappeared with Rika</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I thought he’d died too, but I was wrong</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was scouting at our party</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:20</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He what</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:20</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He asked about you directly, as a matter of fact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He just wanted to know how you were doing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:20</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s it?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:20</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I did manage to get some information out of him in return though</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 12:21</span>
</p><p>
  <span>About him or Rika?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 12:21</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rika</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s the leader of the group that got you and Six involved with us</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:21</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is she still attempting to get soulmates together then?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:21</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I suppose so, but she would have taken you to her if that were her only motive</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:21</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You didn’t get a motive from him?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:22</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, I didn’t want to push him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t know how much damage has been done to him while he’s been under her care</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 00:22</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Care’</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 00:22</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Care’</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(read, 00:22)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:20</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So it’s true that we’re soulmates</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:23</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If V is to be believed, then yes</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:23</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Saviour said that I was to get you as well as your twin because you were my soulmate</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first it confused me, her treatment often causes soulmates to hate each other</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:23</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Saviour?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:24</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rika</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone here at the compound is one half of a duo, and they all hate their other halves</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:24</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So she did continue her original view, in a way</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What does she do to make them hate each other?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is it something to do with why my mark is inflamed all the time?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When it first happened I was accused of faking my soulmark</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:24</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, it is to do with that</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives us what she calls an elixir, to help us take control of our inner demons</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To her, soulmates are what cause our problems, moreso considering that duos are often shamed by society</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:24</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Do you….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Agree with her?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you’re asking if I think you are the bad in my life then no I don’t</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could you be, if we have never talked before?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I suppose….</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s late</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You should sleep</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 00:25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shouldn’t you sleep too?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 00:25</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I have work to do, but I will sleep before dawn</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Don’t worry about me</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Goodnight</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(seen, 00:26)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Morning bitch, how’s your soulmate</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hasn’t talked to me this morning</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave me a lot of information though, I think he probably won’t be allowed to talk to me for a while</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who is he anyway?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>V didn’t say anything this morning.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because it’s Seven’s twin</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Don’t say anything though</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>?????</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He deserves to know????</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ik, but 7 thinks he’s dead</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oof ouch </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Does he not have the power of twins to help him out here</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They haven’t lived together all their lives</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No twin bond </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Losers</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s my bf ur slandering loser</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides it’s not the twin bond its the Cain instinct</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cain instinct is stronger bc they’re rival hackers</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:29</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ye hahaha</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anyway get ur ass outta bed it’s half nine we gotta go shopping</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 9:29</span>
</p><p>
  <span>K lemmi check chatroom first</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 9:29</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aight</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(seen, 9:29)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 entered the chatroom, 9:30</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    You guys have been quiet this morning</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Jumin has entered the chatroom, 9:30</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    From Jahee’s state this morning I am guessing they’re all exhausted from all the socialising last night</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I suppose talking to that many people is normal to you then?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    It was no different to a company meeting</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The only thing I had to change was who I was aiming to please with what I said</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Wow Mr. Businessman over here</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    How much money did we get in the end?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Half a million, in the first estimates. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Having two planners that could each email a different set of potential guests made our job of getting money much easier</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I bet you’re glad you didn’t kick us out now huh</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yes, I am</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    If we had kicked  you out we wouldn’t have met the last of our soulmates</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Oh yeah haha </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    How does that work anyway?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Zen has joined the chatroom, 9:46</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Oh hi Zen</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Hey Five, hey Jumin</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    How does what work?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The connecting of the bond</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    It’s the same as in the movies</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Although it’s a little harder to recreate what it looks like to actually meet your soulmate</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The bond forms in two halves, eye contact and touching skin</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Jumin,,,,,,,,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Like brushing hands</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    It doesn’t work through clothes though, it’s why a lot of people wear gloves</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Some of the characters I’ve played have actively avoided making eye contact to avoid meeting their soulmates </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Mostly because their mark looks like their partner could be a threat</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    But I don’t know any marks for real that actually look dangerous</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Dangerous? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Like a dagger or something?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yeah, like a weapon or a feral animal</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Oh,,,,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    How could a mark show if someone’s soulmate is dangerous though?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    You’re awfully invested in this theme of danger</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yeah haha,,,,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Just interested, if it’s such a rare thing</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Marks are supposed to show the depth of the souls, and what they’re ‘destined’ to be</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    At least that’s how the media portrays it</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    What do you think though?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I don’t think what you’re portrayed as matters</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    On our mark, some of our patterns have… weird meanings</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    ????</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    &lt;s-mark.png&gt;</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Look for yourself</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    ……</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Huh</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Anyway I gotta go, work calls</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I suppose I should go too</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Alright, have a good day you two!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   You too! ^.^</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Zen has left the chatroom,  9:59</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jumin:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Tell Six I said hi</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Will do lmao</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    See you cat mom</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 left the chatroom, 9:59</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>FROM 606, 18:09</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How long has it been since you’ve talked to ur s/m?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>About two days</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ve tried to get in contact but he hasn’t responded</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe we should threaten to tell the rest of the RFA</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 606, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or maybe to go and find him myself?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>O shit it worked</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 606, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hahahahahah omg</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(sent, 18:10)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why do you and V both insist on coming to find me</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s too dangerous for you to come here</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I didn’t mean it lmao, I just wanted to talk to you</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>V is genuinely trying to convince me to give him the address</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That man really has gone insane from loss</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:11</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s what I’ve been telling him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was originally just trying to convince me to let him see Rika and talk sense into her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when I kept warning him about what she would do he tried to change my mind by suggesting he bring you too</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:11</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you wanted me there I’d go with him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But if you don’t think it’ll be safe enough then that’s totally calm dude</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:11</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You’d….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Really come and see me?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:11</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You’re my soulmate, and it’s not like you actively done anything to hurt me</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:12</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yet</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t know if the enhanced pain from the elixir will transfer to you too</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:12</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t mind either way</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If it means I can help you out then I’ll do whatever I need to do</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 18:12</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I have to go</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll contact you later</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 18:12</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okay?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Sent, 18:12)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 19:49</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’m going to call you</span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>TO V, 19:49</span><span><br/>
</span> <span>Okay</span></p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Seen, 19:49)</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has entered the chatroom, 20:27</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’m finally getting to meet my soulmate </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Is that what V’s been talking about?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He’s going with me to deal with some business of his own</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Please be careful</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    And look after him</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I will</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    He already briefed me on how to make sure I wasn’t caught out so he didn’t get in trouble</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Just what kind of meeting is this????</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    A meeting of secret passion~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   What he said lmao</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Passion???</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unknown has entered the chatroom, 20:29</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Unknown:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Get V</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    The car is on the way</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Unknown has left the chatroom, 20:29</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    ?????????????</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Whoops shoulda checked my texts</span>
</p><p>
  <span>    I’ll talk to you all later!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>    Take care!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has left the chatroom, 20:30</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO V, 20:35</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Car’s on the way to you</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM V, 20:35</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll be waiting</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(Seen, 20:35)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Robed cultists surround the car as it pulls up to the compound, and for the first time since you shut down your phone and got into the car, you feel a sense of trepidation. This plan could go wrong in so many ways, and all it would take would be one of the cultists recognising you and reporting your presence back to Rika. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V doesn’t seem to have the same issues though, and he opens the car door as soon as it rolls to a stop, climbing out and gesturing for you to follow. He doesn’t get far from the car before he is flanked on all sides, hands reaching out from beneath robes to grab at his arms to keep him in place.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Saeran has been told of your arrival,” one of the cultists say, their voice sending a shiver down your spine, and not in a pleasant way. “He will be here at any time to take you to the Saviour.” The group presses closer as you cautiously climb out of the car, gently shutting the door behind you. Some of them break away to grab at your arms too, and you struggle away from them as best you can with the car against your back.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Master Saeran,” one of the cultists whispers, and the clearing of a throat sends them skittering away from you. You look up, catching Saeran’s eye and then flinch away as pain sparks across your soulmark. It feels nothing like Zen and Jumin described, and you can only assume its because of the difference between duos and polys.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Take V to the Saviour." he says, voice low, and the cultists drag V off before he's even finished talking. Some of them stay hovering around you, but quickly follow when Saeran glares at them. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I didn't expect you to actually come, " he says softly once you're alone, "I know you said you would but…" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I wouldn't lie to you, Saeran." you reply, almost stumbling over his name. He smiles softly for a moment, and then straightens up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You turned off your phone?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah." carefully, you drop your phone into his hand, and he messes with it for a few moments to ensure that it's entirely shut down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do you have a jacket?" he asks as he tucks it into his pocket, "I don't want to accidentally touch your arm and snap the bond into place. We have to do it while V is distracting everyone in the compound."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Uhhhhh no, I don't." you say, rubbing at your bare upper arm. Saeran glances around the gardens to ensure you're alone, and then sheds his jacket and slings it over your shoulders. You pull it tight around your arms, curling it over your hands to cover as much skin as you can. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. Stay quiet, I have to show up to check on V and the Saviour to make sure that everyone is distracted as they should be so I can be sure you won’t be found out.” he places his hand at the small of your back, and you can feel the warmth of his hand through his jacket.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What about the elixir?” you ask as he guides you into the compound.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My last dose was as long ago as it could have been without the Saviour getting worried about me. Hopefully that means that its effects will be weak enough that they won’t magnify the pain too much.” the halls he guides you down are empty, and the echoing of your footsteps sends shivers down your spine. The whole place feels abandoned, and you tuck yourself further into Saeran’s side to try and chase away the feeling of apprehension in your gut. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is it always this empty?” You ask quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only when the Saviour calls for a meeting. Usually you couldn’t get through the halls without running into a believer. It never feels any warmer though.” He guides you down the hall with a gentle touch, checking round each corner before taking you down it, and you take this as an opportunity to actually look at him. You're not surprised that he looks identical to Seven in face shape, but as you study him for longer you begin to spot the small differences--his face has a sharpness to it, hints of a hard childhood, and even through the stress of the party and the time Seven was at the apartment with you and Six you had never seen him hold himself as tensely as Saeran does now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"What are you frowning at me for?" Saeran asks quietly, and you startle out of your almost-trance, looking away from him with a small blush, "don't tell me you were thinking bad things about me." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"N-no, just… Just looking at the differences between you and Seven." He huffs, looking around the next corner and gently stopping you in your tracks.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’re about as different as identical twins can get, I’ll tell you that for free. Listen, the ceremony room is just around the corner, all I need to do is stand in the door for a few minutes and then we can leave, but I need you to promise me that you won’t say anything, and you won’t try to look in and see what’s happening.” You nod, carefully taking off the jacket and handing it back. Saeran slides his hands into the sleeves and you duck out of the way when he gets a little too close. He flashes a smile. “Good, you’re quick. Right, this won’t take long, I promise.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He leads the way down to the open gold doors, gesturing for you to wait behind them as he takes up his position propped up against the door frame. You tuck yourself into the shadows with a deep breath, listening carefully to whatever is going on inside the ‘ceremony’ room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah! Saeran!” A light voice, one you manage to pinpoint as being Rika, “We can finally start the cleansing!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rika… I didn’t come here to get roped into your drug fuelled dreams-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Shut up! You said you would do anything for me! This is all I’m asking of you V, I want just this one little tiny thing, is that really too much to ask from my soulmate?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It is if you won’t do a favour for me in return. All I want is for you to leave the RFA out of whatever the fuck you’re planning out here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You know I can’t leave them out of eternal paradise, V. I hand picked them to be my representatives to the rest of the world, surely you wouldn’t want that to go to waste? You could rule in paradise forever, my love. All you have to do is let me do this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t do this Rika, they’re happy as they are, and so am I.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I can, V. And I will. They might come looking for you, but I have something else they want, and I can show them the true meaning of paradise. We all need to confront our dark sides, and the only way to do that is through finding the truth in the help I give you.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Seriously?” You whisper, and Saeran shifts to make his responding to you less noticeable.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Her belief is that one we have all come to terms with our inner darkness we can finally put it behind us forever, therefore creating a paradise that cannot be rivalled. The elixir that she creates helps with self reflection in the right dosage, but it has some pretty heavy side effects.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t take it herself then?” You move a little closer peeking around the door to see inside the room. Saeran shifts again, moving enough to hide you from view, but not enough to stop you from seeing a small amount of what’s going on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She has already come to terms with her inner darkness, and uses it to understand the pain and fear we feel. She is the only one who truly knows how to deal with being at war with yourself, and she uses that as a tool to help us through our pain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I guess that makes sense, but her methods aren’t exactly-” you miss exactly what happens, but when you blink there are believers in robes surrounding a screaming V. When you go to get a better look Saeran spins on heel and steps into your personal space, forcing you to take a step back and away from the door to avoid touching him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is our only chance to get the bond in place before the believers flood the halls again. “ He says, and you nod, following after him as he steps around you and leads you back through the halls. “There are rooms we keep specifically for duos that have yet to bond, and for people experiencing the Elixir for the first time. It’s potent, and a lot to get used to if you don’t know what to expect.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What exactly does it do?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll explain it to you later, alright?” He stops in front of a non-descript door, and opens it to reveal a fully soundproof room. “You go in and get comfortable, I have to make sure the cameras are looping properly before we can do anything, but I won’t be long. Don’t open the door if anyone comes, and whatever you do don’t go wandering around the halls. Some of them have cameras in that I haven’t set up to cover our tracks and I don’t want you getting caught.” You nod, stepping into the room and pulling the door shut behind you. It shuts with a resounding thud, and then you can’t hear anything but your own breathing. Apprehension curls in your gut again, and to stave off your worry you pace around the outskirts of the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Saeran is gone long enough for you to forget which wall the door is in, and you’re standing in the middle of the room when it opens behind you, causing you to freeze up in fear. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s just me,” Saeran says, and you let out the breath you had sucked in when he opened the door, “I’m sorry about how much this is going to hurt.” he whispers, and then his arms wrap around your shoulders, his teeth dig into your shoulder, and the most agonising pain you have ever felt in your life races down your back, tearing a scream from your throat. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You don’t think it’s meant to hurt this much, and through your pain fuelled haze you’re dimly aware of Saeran’s bite becoming harsher. It causes your legs to buckle under you, and the sob that escapes you must trigger something in Saeran, because he releases your shoulder. You lean your weight against him, hands clawing at his arms as you scream and cry, and then his own tears are dripping against your neck where his face is tucked, stinging the bite wound as they trickle into it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It feels like forever before the pain finally fades, and your whole body pulses in the aftershocks. Saeran lets go of you, stumbles away like he couldn’t get far enough fast enough, and your knees buckle under you as you turn to him. You end up on the floor, struggling to catch your breath as the jolt from landing on your ass reignites the pain in your spine.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh god I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I didn’t want to hurt you, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>told</span>
  </em>
  <span> him to not bite you I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry-” Saeran gasps out, and you frown at the different tone to his voice. He sounds completely different, and as you try to gather the remains of your ability to think you notice that there’s more of a softness to his eyes than before.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wh-what-” you wheeze out, coughing as the words scratch at your throat, “Him? You’re- You’re you, right?” Saeran’s eyes widen, and he brings a hand up to his mouth, looking much like he said something he wasn’t supposed to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“We never explained what happened to us,” he whispers, eyes focused elsewhere, and then whimpers, grabbing at his head, “No- no don’t force me out, please, I haven’t spent any time with them, they’re my soulmate too-” he goes quiet, hands falling from his head, and it takes until you have caught your breath for him to actually look at you again. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice the same as it was before, “I’m sorry, I didn’t expect it to hurt that much.”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I’m… I’m fine.” You manage to say before it all becomes too much and you black out.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You wake with a quiet groan, whole body aching. Saeran’s jacket is tucked over you, and you pull it tighter around yourself as you push yourself up onto your elbows. The room you’re in is dark save the soft glow of some computer screens; you can’t make out what’s on them, and as far as you can see you’re alone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Your shoulder twinges as you lay back down, and you reach a hand up to touch it, surprised at the soft feel of bandages wrapping the bite wound. You swallow heavily, wincing at the stinging of your throat, and decide that at this point it’s probably better for you to rest until Saeran returns. With a soft sigh, you curl up and draw the jacket up to your face, dozing off again in seconds.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When you wake for the second time, another jacket has joined the first, this time a soft purple one that doesn’t match what you’ve seen of Saeran so far. You stretch out from your curled up position, the jackets slipping into your lap as you sit up. Saeran is at his desk, and he turns away from his work when you grab at the jackets.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are you feeling?” He asks quietly, and you just shrug.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A little achy still. My throat hurts like hell.” You croak out, wincing at how broken your voice sounds. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, you did scream a lot. I’m sorry for the bite. I should have been more careful.” He collects a glass of water from his desk and brings it over to you. You take it with a grateful smile, sipping at it as you talk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s okay, I can deal with a small wound if it means you have something to get you through the pain alright. How are you though? Have you rested at all?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m alright, the ache faded quite fast. I didn’t rest though, I was keeping an eye on the chatrooms to make sure that nobody else was suspicious of anything. V got back online a few hours ago and confirmed that you were okay and that you’d be back online soon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s all good, but you need to get some rest. Lay with me for a while? I know this is all new, but I want to make the most of this time I actually have with you before I have to go back to Six and not have any contact with you again.” Saeran seems to hesitate, and you place the glass down on the floor besides the sofa you’re on and latch your hand onto his wrist, tugging him down to lay next to you. He relaxes into the sofa without much protest, and shifts around to allow you to curl into his side. He wraps his arms around you, and in the warmth of his embrace you fall asleep before he even closes his eyes.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>edit: changes prosecutor to persecutor because im an idiot and didn't check my terminology properly</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>FROM UNKNOWN, 4:47</p><p>I should explain what happened earlier</p><p>I really am sorry for not explaining sooner</p><p>We have a split personality disorder that's been effected by the drugs</p><p>The personality you saw earlier is called Ray</p><p>He’s what the drug considers the ‘weak’ personality</p><p>The ‘neutral’ personality who took control to push me out of the way for Ray is Unknown</p><p>And I’m Saeran, as you know</p><p>There’s more to it than that, but I’ll explain it to you when you’re actually awake.</p><p>
  <em> (seen, 6:48) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 505 has entered the chatroom, 6:50 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Five!</p><p>    Hey!</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Heya</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Where did you go??</p><p>    I couldn’t track your phone the entire time you were gone</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Yeah I turned it off before I left specifically so you couldn’t</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    &lt;crying.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>505: </p><p>    I went to meet my soulmate</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Finally!</p><p>    How was it (;</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Painful haha</p><p>    Turns out only being a duo Fucking Hurts</p><p>    Like more than you all thought it would</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    I know I asked already but are you alright?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    I’m good, I just need to be careful with how I move around to stop any sudden spikes of pain </p><p>    Six is keeping an eye on me and won’t let me out of bed &gt;:(</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    You disappeared for hours and came back hurt!</p><p>    Of course I’m not gonna let you out of bed</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    I’m fine to walk around the apartment, Six</p><p>    Besides I can’t do my work from the bed, I actually need my laptop to make money</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    It’s fine, we got funds from the party and basically everyone in the RFA is rich and willing to lend us money if we need it</p><p> </p><p>707: </p><p>    That’s true!</p><p>    I wouldn’t be God7 if I didn’t offer to help my soulmate and her twin</p><p>    &lt;glasses.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Ugh fine</p><p>    What exactly are we doing next though?</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Actually we’re still waiting for V on that one</p><p>    He got back online before you did and said he had something that he needed us all to know and then went offline again</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Yeah, he didn’t come back with me</p><p>    I think I might have an idea of what it’s about, but I don’t know much else</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Something to do with where you both went?</p><p> </p><p>505: </p><p>    Yeah</p><p>    I don’t think he actually knows everything about what’s going on over there though</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    You have extra information that he doesn’t?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Yeah, I do</p><p>    I don’t know how much I’m allowed to tell you about what’s going on</p><p>    I think I’ll wait for V’s cue on this one</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    You can’t even give us the smallest hint?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    How about…</p><p>    Talking with my soulmates really showed me another side to the place V is at right now</p><p>    Well I suppose it’s the same view, really</p><p>    Just more fucked up</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Soulmates???</p><p>    &lt;glasses.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Typo haha</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Don’t tease us like that &gt;:(</p><p>    And don’t laugh at me!</p><p>    I can hear you!!</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Sorry lololololol</p><p>    Oh shit V texted</p><p>    Hold on </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 505 has left the chatroom, 7:09 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:09</p><p>I’m out of the compound</p><p>Hopefully the drug in my system will be enough for an investigation to be opened</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:10</p><p>If you need me to I can testify about the cult’s operations</p><p>I learned a lot when I was being led through the halls</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:10</p><p>Ask Saeran about how much you can reveal first</p><p>I don’t want you getting thrown under the bus</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:10</p><p>Yeah, I know</p><p>You’re on the way to the hospital?</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:11</p><p>Saeran got ahold of the driver that brought the two of us here to take me back out again</p><p>Rika wasn’t happy about it though</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:11</p><p>I’m not surprised</p><p>I heard some of what she said</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:11</p><p>You were there with Saeran?</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:11</p><p>Yeah</p><p>He had to make sure that everything was going as it was meant to before we could actually talk</p><p>Although weird question real quick- have you got any unusual side effects?</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:11</p><p>Like what? </p><p>I haven’t noticed anything so far</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:11</p><p>It’s nothing don’t worry about it</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:11</p><p>If you say so</p><p>How did the bond snap go? </p><p>The others seem concerned about you</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:12</p><p>Well it worked, that’s for sure</p><p>It was a lot more painful that either of us imagined</p><p>Six is keeping me bedridden because if I move wrong my whole spine starts hurting again</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:12</p><p>It’s still causing you pain?</p><p>It only affected me and Rika for a few hours</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:12</p><p>I guess me and Saeran are a special case then</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:12</p><p>He always has been a special case</p><p>I still regret leaving him in Rika’s care</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:12</p><p>You said it yourself, you’re soulmates, why wouldn’t you have trusted her?</p><p>It’s not like you can predict that your soulmate is going to be absolutely insane</p><p>Or that she’ll end up brainwashing anyone else like her</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:12</p><p>I guess you’re right</p><p>There’s nothing I can do now but try to undo everything that she’s done</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:12</p><p>There’s not much we can do right now</p><p>I might be able to convince Sae to help us get evidence against her</p><p>He could anonymously deliver it to Seven or something</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:12</p><p>Would he even agree to that?</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:13</p><p>I’m not sure, but considering he just messaged me I’ll assume I’ll find out</p><p>I might have to chew him out for monitoring my messenger again &gt;:(</p><p>
  <em> (seen, 7:13) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:13</p><p>Personally, I’d be willing to help you out in any way I can</p><p>And I’m sorry for monitoring you, but the Saviour will force us through another Cleansing ceremony if we don’t</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:13</p><p>Personally?</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:13</p><p>It’s Unknown</p><p>And Ray would help out too, but Saeran is still conflicted</p><p>He might seem fine on the surface, but he’s still part persecutor</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:13</p><p>Persecutor???????</p><p>And it’s nice to meet you, Unknown</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:13</p><p>You too </p><p>And yes, persecutor</p><p>Originally, the body's personality was a Saeran who became everything ‘strong’ about the body</p><p>And the rest of the personality stayed formed as a young, naive Saeran who represented childhood and held all of the trauma</p><p>He was a persecutor because he aimed to do harm to the body and to the people around him</p><p>But the young Saeran wasn’t able to function properly, and Rika didn't want to deal with the prosecutor because he wouldn't listen to her, so she started testing drugs on us</p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:14</p><p>So it’s the cleansings that cause you to fragment more?</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:14</p><p>It seems that way, but I think it causes us to relive our trauma, which in turn triggers a split</p><p>V didn’t go through a full cleansing, so while he may experience a fragmented personality for a while he’ll be fine</p><p>The second cleansing created me and Ray</p><p>Ray was everything the saviour wanted, easy to manipulate and willing to do anything for the person who saved him</p><p>And I was left to hold the alters together, and to try and stop Saeran from destroying the body</p><p>Sae was closest to him though, and eventually they integrated into the Saeran you know</p><p>The integration was maybe the day before the party?</p><p>Luckily, Sae had the most forefront in the integration, which mostly removed the need to destroy</p><p>But he still struggles</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:15</p><p>What about his decision to bring me to you?</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:15</p><p>The bond snap caused harm to the body</p><p>Enough so that he was more than happy to bring you along and be the one present when it happened</p><p>That’s the one urge we haven’t been able to clamp down on very well yet</p><p>I don’t think he realised just how much damage it would do to you though</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:15</p><p>Yeah it seems so</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:15</p><p>You should get back to V</p><p>He’s getting impatient, and the chatroom is asking after you</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:15</p><p>Alright</p><p>Talk to you again soon</p><p>
  <em> (seen, 7:15) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:16</p><p>Yeah he’s fine with helping us out</p><p> </p><p>FROM V, 7:16</p><p>Good</p><p>I’ll talk to the rest of the RFA about what’s going on after I’ve been checked up on</p><p> </p><p>TO V, 7:16</p><p>Alright</p><p>Good luck!!</p><p>
  <em> (Seen, 7:16) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 505 has entered the chatroom, 7:17 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Okay now can you tell us what’s going on?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    I can’t, but V will be on soon to talk to you all</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    When did you get closer to V than I did?</p><p>    &lt;sad.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    When I took a roadtrip with him &gt;:3</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    &lt;sad.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    You’ll know as much as I do when he comes in to tell you</p><p>    Besides, I think it was probably more for your sake that he didn’t tell you what happened when it did</p><p>    I think you might be shocked to your code &gt;:3</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Stop snickering that was terrible and you know it</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Waaaaah T_T</p><p>    Nothing could shock me to my code</p><p>    &lt;glasses.emote&gt;</p><p>    Not even falling from the sky when my wings malfunction</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Your wings malfunctioned????</p><p>    Fairy Seven!</p><p>    You should take more care of your wings!!!</p><p> </p><p>707: </p><p>    But I got attacked by sparrows!</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Gangster Sparrows?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    &lt;glasses.emote&gt;</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Jumin Han has entered the chatroom, 7:25 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Jumin:</p><p>    V hasn’t been picking up my calls</p><p>    It’s nice to see you all in high spirits</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    He’s being check over in the hospital</p><p>    He said he’d be on to explain when he’s cleared</p><p> </p><p>Jumin:</p><p>    Ah, understood</p><p>    Do you not have something to be doing, Seven?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    I can’t focus on my work T_T</p><p> </p><p>606: </p><p>    T_T</p><p> </p><p>Jumin:</p><p>    Even so, you should at least be trying to focus, rather than being on here</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    But Jumiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin T_T</p><p> </p><p>Jumin:</p><p>    I’m only online because I have yet to have my work delivered to me</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    I’ll go when you go, it’s been ages since we’ve been able to talk</p><p>    About</p><p>    ♥♥♦ Ellyyyyyyyyyy ♦♥♥</p><p> </p><p>Jumin:</p><p>    Elisabeth the 3rd is doing well</p><p> </p><p>606:</p><p>    Photo!!</p><p>    Photo!!!!!</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>     Photo!!!!!!!!!</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>With a sigh, you put your phone down, conversation scrolling across your screen. Your eyes ache, there’s a headache building at the back of your head, and you’re still exhausted from the pain of the bond snap. You can’t stand being in bed for any longer though, and take the opportunity of Six’s distraction via. Jumin and Seven to get up out of bed. Your back pops, and then stings when you arch into a stretch, and you relax with an almost satisfied groan. The headache steadily grows worse, so you shuffle into the kitchen area to grab a glass of water and some painkillers to try and ward it off. <br/><br/>“I guess you’re feeling alright?” Six asks from behind you, and you turn to her with a sleepy grin. <br/><br/></p><p>“Other than the steadily building headache, yeah. Has V got back online yet?” Six looks down to check her phone, and then looks back up at you.<br/><br/></p><p>“Yeah, he got on right as Jumin left. They’re talking about his hospitalisation right now.” <br/><br/></p><p>“Thanks.” You down the water in your glass with the painkillers before returning to your bed, settling down on the side of it and waking your screen back up again.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <em>____</em>
</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    They managed to test the traces of drug they found in my system</p><p>    But really they couldn’t identify a lot of the components in it</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Not unexpected</p><p>    They're used to trigger SPD</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Split-Personality Disorder?</p><p>    Isn’t it more likely to be DID?</p><p>    And where did you find this out?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    I…</p><p>    I saw some of the files already</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    Hmm...</p><p>    Luciel?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    ?</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    Have you had any… strange emails yet?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    How did you know?</p><p>    I got one from an untraceable source, and all it has are files and videos pulled from security cams</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Did you actually watch them?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    I looked at one of the camera files, but all it showed was someone locked in a</p><p>    Holy shit</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    I assume that’s the files that we were promised?</p><p> </p><p>505: </p><p>   Yup.</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Five is this real?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    What are you seeing?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Two files, one of them is of a basement, someone being forced to drink</p><p>    Something?</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    The ‘elixir’</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    And the other one is</p><p>    Well it’s you</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Mhm?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    And…</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Yeah</p><p>    He’s my soulmate</p><p>    I won’t confirm who it is if you don’t want me to</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    I’m</p><p>    You were right I have been shocked to my code</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Hahahaha</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    This is the sort of stuff that’s going on there?</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    That’s the most of it</p><p>    There is another thing though</p><p>    You might be able to find a report on it</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Yeah?</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    See if you can find anything on ‘Cleansing Ceremonies’</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Cleansing..??????</p><p> </p><p>V:<br/>    Not a pleasant thought, I know</p><p>    But it’s what happens</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    There’s….</p><p>    A surprising number of reports here</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Any that you recognise?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    ……………….</p><p>    Yes</p><p>    There’s even an incomplete one for V</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    Can you send me his?</p><p>    I hate prying but I want to know exactly how much they did to him</p><p>    Wait he just texted nvm dw about it</p><p>    Keep talking I’ll be back on in a second</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 505 has left the chatroom,  7:42 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:42</p><p>Don’t worry about looking through my files</p><p>I’m happy to just tell you straight up what you want to know</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:42</p><p>I just</p><p>How many times did she actually put you through the cleansing?</p><p>I know you mentioned that you’d been through it twice but</p><p>That can’t have been it</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:42</p><p>Yeah, that wasn’t it</p><p>When she was still testing different mixtures for the elixir it was always me she tested them on</p><p>They fucked me up a lot before she actually got it right</p><p>And when she did get it right it allowed her to manipulate our subconscious</p><p>In all honesty, she forced Sae to integrate with Saeran by removing the amnesic wall between them</p><p> </p><p>TO UNKNOWN, 7:42</p><p>How do we get you out of there</p><p> </p><p>FROM UNKNOWN, 7:43</p><p>You don’t</p><p>Not yet</p><p>
  <em> (Seen, 7:43) </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> ____ </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> 505 has entered the chatroom, 7:43 </em>
</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    So you don’t need to worry about me</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    If you say so</p><p>    What am I gonna do with these files?</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    Keep them safe for now</p><p>    I think it would be best if we sent in the ones that showed the worst of what is happening</p><p>    But I’m assuming that’s going to take a while?</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    I’m not sure</p><p>    All the files so far bar yours have all been pretty bad</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    It’s likely that they’ve already been narrowed down</p><p>    He couldn’t have sent over every file that has been created</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>    Yeah, I guess you’re right</p><p>    I suppose I could just forwards the email to the general police as an anonymous tip?</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    Let me send them over as part of whatever confession I get from the components in the drugs</p><p>    It’s likely that the substances alone could cause an investigation to be opened</p><p> </p><p>707:</p><p>     I’ll keep them safe until then</p><p> </p><p>V:</p><p>    You won’t need to worry about them for long</p><p>    I’m getting a call</p><p>    My apologies, but I’ll take my leave now</p><p> </p><p>505:</p><p>    See you later V</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> V has left the chatroom, 7:49 </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Listening to V explaining the elixir to the local police is not something that you want to hear again. He describes how he was forced to take it, what it did to his mind, and you see his face twitch a few times, pausing each time as though he’s fighting something off inside. Then, the police turn to you, and you tell them the story that you and Unknown had worked out. Both Saeran and Ray had said that it was good to tell, and you felt that it omitted enough detail to be comfortable telling somebody else’s story. It goes a little something like this:</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t actually know where the cult compound is, my phone died on the way there and I had no way to charge it. Honestly, I only knew about its existence because my soulmate works there. ‘Works’, it’s a loose term. He couldn’t tell me much, but he could tell me that the leader there has been testing drugs on him for months now. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It caused the amnesic walls in his subconscious to grow deeper, enough that what was once just a means to protect him from his past became like something out of a fantasy story, he’s not just made up of four well rounded fragments of personality, but three full people. Supposedly,  the drugs were meant to do something with the soulmate bond, but it’s more effective in allowing the leader to control the way his brain works than making him hate me.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was only at the compound to solidify the soulmate bond, I went along with V to keep an eye on him as well, but he was expected by the cult, whereas I wasn’t and was able to get in and out without being taken before their leader.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The police take note of all of it and you’re almost relieved that they don’t ask anymore questions about it. Almost.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have access to some of the files they keep on their central server there. I haven’t actually looked at any of them, but they were sent by an inside source in what looked at the time, like a blank email. I can have them sent on to your department if you give me an email to send them to.” V says, drawing their attention back to where he sits on the bed. One of them pulls a business card out of his wallet and scribbles an email on the back of it before handing it over to him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Email us on here,” they say, “we’ll be back to clarify a few things in the near future.” He nods, and they leave the room. The two of you sit in silence for a moment before he speaks up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So… That went well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As well as it could have done.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You seem… a little annoyed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just a smidge. I’d rather not have had to testify about my experiences as soon as you told them that the drug was forced on you and you wanted to open an investigation. I didn’t get any sleep trying to work out how to not incriminate…” you glance around, paranoid that someone might overhear, “my soulmate. I don’t want to risk him getting in trouble for what he was forced to do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, I trust you to be able to withhold the relevant information. Besides, you got the job done, so now we can get Rika some help-" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"When they find her she's gonna go into a psych ward and everyone that works or worked with her are gonna be jailed for what they did. I don’t even know if we can convince them that everything he did was to keep himself safe.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was for his own safety. All the evidence we need is in the files.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can’t just ask him to give up all the files. You may think that they’ll help him out, but they’re more likely to incriminate him. We don’t know what Rika put into them, and we can’t trust that they give the right details.” Your phone buzzes, but when you reach to check it V stops you.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We don’t need to check the files. Rika has always been meticulous in the way she takes notes on things that need recording.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Exactly, and she's a sociopath. Just because she's meticulous doesn't mean she doesn't take notes on only what she wants to see, and not the truth in it all. I know she's your soulmate, but you can't excuse everything she ever does-" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"You have to trust me on this, the files Rika has will prove that it was against his will-" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They won't, V." You say, standing from the seat besides the bed, "You haven't seen them- Hell you haven't even </span>
  <em>
    <span>talked</span>
  </em>
  <span> to him about anything that happened, you know how bad his childhood was, he did everything that that bitch you call a soulmate asked of him just to avoid being punished, and hey, he got hurt for it anyway! Her reports are going to detail how much he did for her without her having to even ask him twice, and how well he went through all the trials of that drug just to please her. Does that seem like something the police would say is 'innocent'?"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V just sits on the bed stunned, looking at you like you'd just told him that his soulmate was a murderer, which in truth, you could have. He doesn't splutter for another excuse, so you see that as your cue to leave, turning away from him without saying goodbye. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The talk with the police went well</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With V not so much</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I figured as much</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What was he harping on about this time?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:27</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How your files will prove you innocent</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They won’t</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They don’t even mention the mental trauma she caused</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The personality switches are just referred to as “extreme mood swings”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Does she understand what actually happened to you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t know the extent of her knowledge of us, but she is able to tell Ray and Saeran from each other</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re complete opposites though, so it's not surprising</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t know about you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ve never had the pleasure of interacting with her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Usually I spend my time in the mindspace</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s only now that you’ve shown up and Saeran integrated that I’ve spent more time out</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s fair</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s never spent any time talking to you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No, I’ve gotten extremely good at putting someone else in the driver’s seat</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Usually whoever’s closest to the front out of the two</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh fuck hold on</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:28</span>
</p><p>
  <span>????</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unknown?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Are you okay?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:46</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sorry, the Saviour walked in and we had to explain what we were doing</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:46</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s fine, are you all okay?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:46</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, we are</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unknown had a bit of a shock though</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not often that she forces her way into the development room</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:46</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Should I leave you to get back to your work?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:47</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Please stay for a while longer</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to you yet</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, I’m not as good at hacking as the others</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:47</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ve got to go out at about two, but I can stay and talk till then</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is that alright?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 13:47</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s more than alright!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’m just glad you’re willing to stay and talk to me &lt;3</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 13:47</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course I am!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What sort of soulmate would I be if I didn’t try and get to know all of you equally?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(read, 13:47)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Six leans across the table you’re eating at with a catlike grin, a motion very similar to the one you saw Seven to do her at the party a week ago. You take another bite of your food, trying your best to not look like she was making you nervous.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sooooo~?” She says.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘So’ what?” You reply. She stares at you, grin morphing into something a little more sly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Tell me about your soulmate!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s not much to say that I haven’t already told you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re no fun,” she pouts, slumping back into her chair, “I know there’s more to him than you’re letting on. You always get so cagey when we bring him up!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only because when you did bring him up Seven didn’t actually know who he was. You haven’t asked since then.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only because  you keep shutting me down! I’m your sister, at least tell me what he’s like! Even V knowns more about him than me, and you don’t like him!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He only knows more because, technically, he was his parent for the years before Rika faked her suicide.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Again, that’s no fun! It’s not like I’m gonna tell everyone if you don’t want me to.” She starts to look genuinely sad, so you give in with a sigh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fine,” you say, lowering your voice to avoid being overheard, “The truth is, he’s not just one person. And I was lying about reading the reports already.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I knew it!” Six whisper-yells, and you crack a small smile at her enthusiasm.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s my soulmate who has DID,” you say, and her enthusiasm immediately simmers down, “and it’s from his trauma as a child.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And the drugs?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, they had a hand in it. Rika tested all of her batches on him before she got it to do what she wanted it to do. Do you promise not to tell a soul what I’m about to tell you?” You ask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I won’t tell anyone. Not even Seven.” She promises. You take a deep breath to calm your nerves, and then tell her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He has three personalities. It used to be four, but two of them integrated a few weeks before the party. I suppose Saeran is technically the body's host, he's who I talk to most often, but the drugs must have fucked up how they all developed, because they refer to themselves as ‘strong’, ‘weak’, and ‘neutral’ parts. Originally, his childhood personality was still unintegrated, but he was the one who integrated with his counterpart. ” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wait, wait, go back a second, ‘strong’ and ‘weak’? How is that even possible?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know. Rika’s absolutely insane, there’s no telling what ends she went to to get the results she wanted.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Y’know, she never struck me as the type. For all the RFA has talked her up she doesn’t seem like that great of a person.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s probably because she was good at manipulating people. V knows everything she’s done and is still forgiving her because she’s his soulmate.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s rough.” You nod with a sigh, and Six goes back to eating, seemingly satisfied with your answers.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has entered the chatroom, 8:19</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Ah, Five</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I was just about to explain what I was planning on telling the police to help their investigation</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Uh oh</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jahee:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     &lt;question.emoji&gt;</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505 :</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     V, if Saeran is in any part of your testimony I'm not going to back you up</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I have to have him in my testimony, Five</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I can't just omit something from my testimony, especially considering he is so vital to the story</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Then how do you paint him in your story?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The rival hacker that did everything he could to take us down?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     A loyal cult member that did everything for his 'saviour'?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jahee:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Five…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He was an abused child who we rescued from his home</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     We took him in to help him escape from his past</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     And he follows Rika without question</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He does everything she asks of him because he's afraid of what she'll do to him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You didn't rescue him from shit V</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Jahee:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I feel like I should leave… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I'll be back later…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Jahee has left the chatroom, 8:23</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She wouldn't do anything to hurt him, she was the one who wanted to take him from that place</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How about this:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She wanted to take him so she didn't have to brainwash someone herself</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     We know full well by now that she was organising her cult without you knowing</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     There's no telling just how much she could have done to ingrain triggers in him</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You know nothing of Rika, stop talking about her like you know her</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I know more than enough about her to know what kind of person she is</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She wouldn’t have ingrained </span>
  <em>
    <span>triggers</span>
  </em>
  <span> in him</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She was like an angel before she faked her suicide</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She was a manipulator</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Did she really use the soulmate bullshit against you so much that you started to believe it?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>V:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Soulmate bullshit?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I can’t do this right now</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Explain your testimony, but I want nothing to do with it</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has left the chatroom, 8:29</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What’s this between you and V?” Six calls from the kitchen, and you sigh heavily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You read the chatroom?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Basically V’s plan is to explain exactly what happened to him and then answer any other questions to the best of his ability, but he’s very biased towards it being for his own good.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So she did get to him. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” You get up from your bed and leave your phone nestled in the blankets. Six passes you a mug of tea when you join her in the kitchen, and you gently blow the steam away from your face before sipping at it. She waits for you to gather yourself, quietly moving around the kitchen to make herself breakfast. Eventually, you speak up again. “It probably seems like I’m overreacting, huh.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well considering what you’ve told me, I don’t think so. It’s obvious to me that Saeran isn’t at fault, given the way he was brought up, but to anyone who doesn’t know the details…” She grabs a spoon from the drawer and drops it into her bowl.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s exactly what I’m worried about. V isn’t going to go into detail about their past because it isn’t vital to the investigation into the cult, and it’s not like the police are going to actually ask into it if he doesn’t mention it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can read what he actually said if you want.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Fuck no. I have my own testimony and I’m not changing it based on what he says I should say.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What even is your testimony? You didn’t get to see what V did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I did, just from a different angle,” you abandon your half drunk tea on the counter, going back to the bed to pick up your phone as it buzzes under the sheets, “I think I probably saw more than he did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well you didn’t really see much.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Heard then. Saeran told me enough about what’s going on there for me to be able to get an accurate description of how fucked up the experiments going on there are.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How much of it did you tell the police?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Enough for them to pick up that they need to talk to me in more detail. I didn’t want to tell all the secrets I was given with V listening in.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Understandable. Is that why you were up all night before you talked to the police?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I was working out how much I could say without making their system uncomfortable.” Six sits beside you as you sigh into your tea, finishing off her breakfast. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So the police get into the compound and get them out, what happens next?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Most likely he’ll be sat in a prison cell until they can get someone to actually diagnose him. They won’t trust that he won’t disappear, and there’s no way in hell he’ll go back with Seven.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if he comes back with you? There’s space for him to stay here.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s no guarantee that they’ll even let him out with me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re his soulmate, there’s no way they won’t let you take him.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If they deem him too unstable they won’t even let me see him, Six.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then you just have to prove that he’s not a threat.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s gonna be harder than you think. I don’t know how much they’ll trust me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 707, 9:03</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The police is already putting together a raid team</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It probably won’t take them long after V has given his testimony to start looking for the compound</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 707, 9:03</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I can make it easier by getting in and giving you my location</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 707, 9:03</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Only if you can get in without getting caught</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If there’s any chance that you’ll get cleansed I don’t want you in there</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 707, 9:03</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I trust my soulmate to be able to keep me safe</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows how to get around without being found</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM 707, 9:03</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll set up a line with the task force and let them know</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO 707, 9:04</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thanks</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(read, 9:04)</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:10</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How are you all?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I guess you already know what I’m planning to do</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:13</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yes, and I have a hastily scribbled note stuck to my monitor telling me to wait on a decision</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no guarantee that I can keep you hidden for longer than a day and a half</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saviour’s getting antsy about me not being as ruthless anymore</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:14</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Because of the integration?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:14</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And because I’ve stopped cursing out the soulmate I didn’t know like you’d killed Saeyoung yourself</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:14</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you have to badmouth me to keep her off of your back I don’t mind</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I know you don’t mean any of it</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:14</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s fine</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ve got enough bullshit excuses to keep her off of my back for a while</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She still makes regular visits to the development room though, and I can’t exactly tell her to back off</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:14</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A recent development?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:15</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She started right after I let V leave</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hopefully it’s only because of that and not because she knows you were here too</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:15</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You’ll get cleansed again if she does find out, I assume?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:15</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, and I don’t know how well we’d be able to hold out</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:15</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Look it’s perfectly fine</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll wait until we have a proper team set up and ready to go</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Would you be able to get out to come and pick me up?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:15</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I can try and set it up, but it would be Unknown who collects you</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll have to do some tinkering so I can prove to the Saviour that your phone has been left in the apartment</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that will allow us to keep her off of our back while allowing the team to still track your phone</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:16</span>
</p><p>
  <span>7 is already letting the task force know that I’m going to be taken to the compound</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hopefully he’ll also tell them that he’s recruited inside help to get me in safely</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:16</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hopefully</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I don’t want you getting caught in anything if they accuse me of being on the wrong side of all of this</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:16</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you’re on the wrong side of all of this then so am I</span>
</p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:16</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You don’t need to get more involved in this than you already are</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>TO UNKNOWN, 9:16</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just worry about yourself</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I have the whole RFA on my side, and considering 7 legally can’t get involved, all you really have is me</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>FROM UNKNOWN, 9:17</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…….</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I’ll get started on fixing your location on my end</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’ll take a few hours, and I’ll let Saeyoung know when I’m done</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>(read, 9:17)</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>god i regret posting this already uuuhhh<br/>pls validate me and also heres my kofi don't pay me i spent too long doing this instead of college work<br/>ko-fi.com/ramblingwriter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>okay yes i did in fact say in a previous chapter that the elixir causes spd but it does Not i am a Fool but i'm too tired to go back and edit it right now<br/>uuuuhhhhhh enjoy this is very unedited and probably rushed? but on the bright side i think i know exactly how i want to end the whole story haha</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It takes two days for a team to be collected, and you don’t even realise that the plan has been set into motion until you hear the apartment’s window slide open, followed by the thump of Unknown letting himself in through the fire escape.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey.” Six greets him, nonchalant from where she sits at the desk.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” he replies, and you’re thrown off by the fact that his voice is muffled and distorted. “You’re Six, right? I’m Unknown. Good to finally meet you in person.” You lean out of the kitchen to catch a glimpse of him, pleasantly surprised by the goth aesthetic he has going on.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good to meet you too.” A pause, “They’re in the kitchen,” Six tells him, and his face softens with a smile when he looks up and sees you. You step back into the kitchen as he turns back to Six, drying up the rest of the plates as he explains the plan in full detail to her. It’s nothing you haven’t heard before, so you tune their conversation out. There’s already a bag packed with spare clothes for you in case of an emergency, and your phone is still sitting on your bedside table charging, ready to be put into low power mode so its battery lasts as long as possible. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>You startle when Unknown curls against your back, having been too distracted to hear him come into the kitchen. You gently place down the plate in your hands, dropping the cloth on top of it before turning to face him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are you all getting on?” you ask quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“As well as we can be. I’ve been front more often because Ray has been helping Saeran get over his superiority complex, his integration with Sae really gave him a new perspective. Ray’s struggling though, he’s the only one that doesn’t know the details of our childhood and it’s making it difficult for him to empathise with Saeran.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And you?” You reach up to brush his hair out of his face, and his eyes slide shut at the gesture. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Alright, I suppose. It's hard to be fronting so often, I don't know how Ray does it." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Have you had the chance to read up about DID?" Saeran shakes his head, opening his eyes to see your gentle smile. "That's fine," you tell him, "I can talk you through what I've found out later? I haven’t pried into anyone’s trauma, and I haven’t relayed any of yours, but your experience seems to line up with theirs, even with there only being the three of you. I’ll talk you through it later, when I get the chance."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Thank you," he says, using his grip to pull you so close you can feel his breath fanning over your lips. "Is… is this okay?" he asks hesitantly, “I don’t really know when the right time would really be but-” You quickly shut him up by pressing your mouth to his in a gentle, fleeting kiss. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"The right time is whenever you want to kiss me.” You tell him, “Besides, it’s for luck," he grins, then repeats your motion. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"For luck." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The robe Unknown gave you to wear is uncomfortably warm, and you almost trip a couple of times when the hem gets caught around your ankles. You feel like every set of believers you pass can see right through the shadows the hood casts across your face, although in reality they’re probably just wondering why it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> following Unknown through the halls for whatever task he has rather than them. Unknown doesn’t say a word until you’re both safely in his room, door locked behind the two of you. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This’ll be just about the only place you can go until this place is raided,” he tells you, helping you to remove the various layers of the robe, “the development room is directly attached to here, and this room is the only room Saviour doesn’t have access to. I have to report back to her, can you check up on the chatroom?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, don’t worry about me. Keep yourself safe first, I’ll be fine.” He nods, but before he can leave you grab him by the wrist. “Thank you, for doing all this. You didn’t have to help us, and you didn’t have to go so far, but I’m glad you did.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me,” he tells you softly, “not yet. We aren’t in the clear yet, and there’s still a chance you could get found and cleansed before the police get here.” An idea forms in your head, a stupid, reckless idea that has an equal chance of getting you killed as it does helping you both get out and seen under sympathy. “What’s that looks for?” He asks, wrist slipping from your grip.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What if...  What if we do get caught? Rika has holding cells she puts people in while she prepares for the ceremony, right? What if we get caught and get put in the cells, and then when the police find us they’ll assume we were being held hostage-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What are you </span>
  <em>
    <span>saying</span>
  </em>
  <span>? We can’t let ourselves get trapped down there! I don’t know how ready Saviour is to start a ceremony, she could be mere hours away from being fully prepared at any given chance- there’s too much at stake here-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But what if it works?” You plead, “What if it gives you the edge you need to not be taken as a criminal but a victim instead? Please Unknown, I know it’s risky- I can get in contact with Seven, ask him to let us known when the raid team is almost here and we can use it as a way to distract Rika at the same time-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re actually serious?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course I am! I wouldn’t joke around about something like this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s absurd! There’s so much that could go wrong with that-” he cuts himself off with a frown, and from the way he starts muttering to himself you’re pretty certain he’s talking with one of the others. Whatever conversation they have doesn’t seem to have a real outcome, and he falls silent for a few seconds. When he turns to face you again, there’s a different sort of clarity to his eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“He’s being stubborn. It’d work fine, and even if Saviour gave us a mild dose of elixir to keep us under control it would only help to bolster our case. I’m fully prepared to go through with it as long as you are able to confirm that we won’t be down there for more than two hours. Unknown will come around, Ray is already working on convincing him, but by god I wish they’d do it further away from the front.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll message Seven. Is it worth letting the rest of the RFA know?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only if he’s in the chatroom. There’s a low chance that Saviour will ask to look at the chatroom, but if she does you talking about being here could get us put in the cells a hell of a lot faster than anticipated.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. I’ll be careful.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Good. Oh, one last thing.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mm?” You look up from your phone, screen idling on the messenger’s open screen.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you… do the thing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What thing?” You ask. Saeran looks away, an uncharacteristic flush rising to dust his cheekbones.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“The… thing you did with Unknown.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, the kiss? You… saw that?” He nods, making a face.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It was hard not to. One of the walls in the wherever we go is basically a massive glass viewport. It was the clearest thing I’d seen through it in weeks.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ah,” you reach to scratch at the back of your neck with your free hand, “W-Well! I suppose it’s only fair that you saw, keeping secrets wouldn’t be all that conductive for your system-” Exhausted by your embarrassed mumbling, Saeran takes the two steps between the two of you and takes the hand from the back of your neck into his own, lacing your fingers together as he surges forwards to kiss the words out of your mouth. He’s no more experienced than Unknown was, but you don’t find yourself minding when the grin he gives you as he pulls away brightens his face perfectly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks,” he murmurs, gently squeezing your hand before letting go and disappearing through the door that leads to the development room. It takes you a moment to gather yourself, and you find yourself wondering if every kiss is going to feel that electric.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has entered the chatroom, 10:02</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Hey Five!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It’s strange to see you in this part of the forest</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It’s even stranger to see you here</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     But if you need to know, a little birdie needs to know how long it’ll be until I’ll be rescued by a dashing prince</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Well, you did interrupt my monologue…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How about you tell the little birdie that the search rescue is already on the way and is estimated to be there at 11:30?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How kind of you, dear knight</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     However will I repay you?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     &lt;glasses.emote&gt;</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How about a kiss from the fair maiden?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You already have a maiden to give you a kiss of thanks you ass</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How about you continue to keep an eye on him then?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Well, he’s just next door</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It wouldn’t be too hard to sneak a photo…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Are you in a different room or something?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     &lt;OHFUCKRIKA.png&gt;</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     AAAAAAAA HOLY FUCK I DIDN’T THINK SHE’D ACTUALLY BE IN THERE SHBSKJVBSKJVNSDJFRGFH</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>707:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Five?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You okay?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has left the chatroom, 10:09</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There you are. I’d wondered where he’d hidden you.” Rika steps through the door between the development room and Saeran’s room with smooth steps, watching with barely hidden amusement as you scramble away from her from where you’d fallen to the floor when she’d seen you through the door. “I must say, I wasn’t expecting him to go so far for his soulmate. Not after everything I’ve done to instill hate for you inside of him. Then again, he never was one to really listen to what I was telling him.” She stops besides your feet, pressing two neatly shined heels together as she looks you over with a critical eye. “I can see why he’d want you more than his place here though. You seem useful, in more ways than one.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Useful?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You look… unassuming. You’d blend in perfectly, and any attention you’d draw to yourself is the exact opposite attention to your true goals. It’s almost… the perfect personality for the next mission I have.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not going to do anything for you.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, I wasn’t expecting you to do so willingly. You’re lucky that I was already planning on having a ceremony tonight. In fact, since I’ll have to cleanse Saeran as well, you can be the grand show of the evening! How does that sound to you?” Your eyes find Saeran’s over her shoulder, and he shrugs in an ‘I told you so’ manner. Before you realise what’s happening, Rika has a vice grip on your arm and she’s dragging you to your feet, pulling you back through the door into the development room. You don’t struggle too much, this is exactly what you were aiming for, and Saeran follows at a subdued pace.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rika talks about her plans for you the whole way down to the basement, and you manage to record a small snippet of it; she doesn’t look back at you once with you keeping pace with her and not straining against the iron grip she has on your arm. The steps she leads you both down echo with your footsteps, and you’re half expecting someone to jump out at you from every corner cast into harsh shadow by the fire-like torches sat in brackets along every wall. Keys jingle from somewhere in front of you, and a believer you hadn’t even seen unlocks an iron barred cell that Rika ushers you and Saeran into. She doesn’t even seem to think about the fact you still have your phone.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be back this evening for the ceremony. I suggest you rest up until then, okay?” She smiles, saccharine sweet, and moves aside so the believer can lock the cell, and then lead her up out of the basement.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This area’s new.” You say once she’s gone, “What’s the point of having soundproofed cells if you have a basement like this?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Different purposes.” Saeran replies, settling down against the back wall of the cell, “The cells upstairs are for people Saviour is expecting to take the elixir without question, and for believers that have already been inducted into Mint Eye.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So she’s expecting us to run if we’re given the chance.” You slide down the wall to sit beside him, gently leaning into his side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Not that we’re actually going anywhere.” He lets out a quiet sigh and slumps heavily into your side. You turn your head as much as you can to look up at him, but you can’t see my past his blank expression, so you leave him be. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been down here so many times,” he murmurs, and you become acutely aware that you don’t know if Saeran is fronting anymore, “we all have. It’s... “ they struggle to pinpoint how to refer to themself, their mannerisms all blurring together, “I.. We? Didn’t anticipate how much being down here knowing how much could go wrong would affect us.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can I help?” you ask them, and they do a quickly abated half shrug. You shift around into a more comfortable position, and then gently tug them down to lay in your lap. Your fingers find their way into their hair, and you gently rub at their scalp as they try and work out what’s going on with themselves.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can someone please just take control,” they murmur, and one of their hands clenches into a fist against your thigh. You’ve seen this before in your research, and although you aren’t sure what triggered all three of them to be co-concious without someone fronting, you know all you can really do is wait for one of them to push themselves forwards, or for one of them to step back so it’s easier for the other two to tell themselves apart.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You doing alright?” You ask after a few minutes, and the only response you get a first is a groan, and the smoothing of a thumb over your leg. You don’t stop in drawing small, mindless patterns into his scalp while he gathers himself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“‘S Ray,” he mumbles eventually. He tries to push himself up out of your lap, but obviously doesn’t have full control over the body yet, and doesn’t end up going far. You help him up with gentle hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Any idea how the others are coping?” He shrugs, giving you a small, grateful smile when you help him to pull Unknown’s jacket over his shoulders properly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They aren’t the best at… talking to me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You feeling any better now?” He shrugs again, and you guide him back into your lap to rest. He’s shaking, and you’re not sure if it’s due to the cold or exhaustion, so you shed your own jacket and lay it over his legs.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long were we…?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Only a few minutes. Nobody has been down since she left.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You still have your phone?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. Do you wanna use it?” You reach to pick it up from where you’d placed it on the floor beside you, passing it over to him when he reaches up for it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Does Saeyoung know about me?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Actually, I don’t know. I don’t think I’ve talked to him about you directly. I think he knows about your system though. I’m sure he’d let you explain it to him though.” Ray nods, easily unlocking your phone and logging into the messenger as himself. It only takes him a few seconds to call Saeyoung, and he puts the call on speaker before balancing your phone on your leg besides him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Saeran?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Almost,” Ray responds, and Saeyoung makes a small noise of understanding that’s barely picked up by his phone’s microphone, “My name’s Ray. I thought you should probably know who I am before you get here and wonder why I'm not acting like you think I should be."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, Ray. How are you holding up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m okay.” He says, and you know he’s lying but don’t try to call him out on it, “We’re as safe as we can be in a cell in a basement waiting for either something very bad or very good to happen.” Saeyoung huffs a laugh.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I’ll be there before the teams will be, but I can’t come in without them. Mind telling me where to go to get to you so I can come straight for you?” Ray thinks for a moment before he begins to explain, and you tangle your fingers in his hair again as he talks, twisting strands of his hair together as you listen to the two of them talk. Once he knows where to go, Saeyoung guides the conversation back to lighter topics, doing his best to get to know Ray and learn about his twin’s system. It’s sweet, and you’re happy to listen to them until you hear the scraping of a door open.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Someone’s coming,” you interrupt, and the sudden silence from Saeyoung’s end of the phone lets you know that he’s muted his side of the call. Ray passed your phone back to you and you put it on the floor behind him, hidden out of sight from the entrance to the cell. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry you got caught,” Ray says, playing up the illusion that he was talking to you instead of Saeyoung. He sounds more focused now.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. It’s not your fault.” You tell him, falling silent as Rika returns with some vials in hand. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I have some good news for the two of you!” She says, her smile sickly sweet, “There’s still some elixir left from the last batch of elixir! It won’t be as effective, but we can treat it as a pre-dose to prepare you for the ceremony, hm?” She unlocks the cell with her free hand, and Ray sits up as she shuts the door behind her, carefully keeping your phone hidden behind him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“My Saviour-” Ray starts.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, no, there’s no need to say anything.” She approaches the two of you with the bottles outstretched, stopping close enough for the two of you to take them off of her, “You can show your appreciation by drinking up!” You look to Ray in apprehension, but all he does is look away, taking the cork out of the bottle with practiced ease. You follow suit, but struggle a little more to actually get the cork out of your own bottle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>His hands are shaking. It’s a small tremor, one you doubt Rika would notice, but it causes something to curl in your gut, tightening coils that make you feel a little sick.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rika, I don’t-”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t tell me you aren’t going to drink it.” She interrupts you, stepping over your legs to crouch at your side, “You will drink it. You don’t have a choice.” She wraps a slender hand around yours, fingertips cold as she guides the lip of the bottle to your mouth. You must make an expression that she doesn’t like, because something sinister descends over her face, grip tightening until you hiss in pain. “Drink.” She demands, her other hand coming up to force your head back so she can pour the elixir directly into your mouth. You almost choke on its bitterness, struggling against her grip as she holds your jaw shut until she’s satisfied that you’ve swallowed it all. It burns as it goes down, settling like liquid fire in your stomach, and you groan in pain as your head begins to throb. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Evidently, Ray has already drunk his elixir, and Rika takes his bottle with yours, leaving the cell with a satisfied hum. She doesn’t say anything else to either of you, and with how hard it is to think around the headache you don’t think you would have been able to understand what she would say anyway. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The sound of the door at the top of the stairs closing behind her leaves a ringing in your ears, and you probably make a pained noise because Ray gently places your jacket over your shoulders and tucks your head against his collarbone. It blocks out all the light, and it helps significantly with the headache; the pulsing behind your eyes dulls to a low throb that’s a lot more manageable. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I know it's a lot," he says, "this is why I was with Unknown on being apprehensive about this plan - any risk of you getting hurt is too much of a risk when we control all of the variables." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I don't mind," you say, voice muffled in his shirt, "it's just more evidence against her."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They're right," Saeyoung says, evidently having unmuted himself, "and every call that goes to my phone is recorded, so I have proof that it was her."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Still, I don't want to take any more risks." Ray says, and both you and Saeyoung hum in agreement. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Hopefully you won't have to," Saeyoung tells him, trying his best to sound reassuring, "We'll be in in about an hour, why don't the two of you try and get some sleep while you have the chance? I know it isn't even midday yet, but I doubt you're going to get much of a chance to sleep until at least tomorrow. The force said everyone in the building would be arrested, and although I convinced them that the two of you aren't to be arrested they still want you in holding for questioning." Ray nods, then promptly realises that Saeyoung can’t see him.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay. It’s not like we can really go anywhere anyway.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I promise I’ll get you both out safe. Look, I have to go, rest up, both of you.” With that, he puts the phone down, the soft beep of the call ending echoing around you. Ray lets out a shaky sigh, letting you cling to him as you will the elixir-given headache away. He shifts beneath your hands, shuffling backwards until he’s leant against the wall, and then pulls you close, laying your legs over his. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You really should rest,” he tells you, letting the weight of his head fall atop yours.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You should too. I know you find it hard to get sleep on a good day.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine. Let me watch over you till Saeyoung gets here. It’s the least I can do for you, you’ve gone way out of your way to help us, so it’s only fair that I do that same for you.” He soothes your complaints with a soft hand on your shoulder, thumb rubbing gentle circles into the divot between your bones, and despite how much you thought you wouldn’t be able to sleep, you find yourself drifting off anyway.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>well here we go, 3,200 word finale<br/>i hope its at least a little cohesive<br/>if there are mistakes feel free to point them out i havent edited this at all<br/>or even read it back<br/>ah well</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“...for christ’s sake don’t separate them! Didn’t you see the state they were in when I found them?” You come to to the sound of Saeyoung arguing with who you assume to be one of the officers recruited for the rescue. You're being carried out of the compound, Unknown's jacket pulled on over your own, and the soft murmur into your hair when you stir tells you that it's Ray carrying you. You press your face firmly into the crook of his neck, mumbling out something that might have been something along the line of 'it hurts' as you reach to loosely wrap your arms around his neck to help him take a little strain off of his arms. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sir, it's police protocol for witnesses and suspects to be separated to ensure that their testimonies are as uninfluenced as possible-"</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"If they were going to sort their story out they would have done it already. Besides, they're a Duo, and with them both being hurt…" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Ah, that does change things. Right, I'll be sure they're kept together then." You tune them out at that, huffing out a laugh against the side of Ray's throat. You feel him shiver under your fingertips, and you know he can feel the grin that you press against his skin in lieu of an apology. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Don't laugh at me," he murmurs, and you're pretty sure he's pouting. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"'M not laughing," you tell him, "jus' amused."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"That's the same thing!" he complains, stepping out onto the gravel of the path outside the front of the compound. He doesn't get more than a few steps out before he freezes, his grip on you tightening almost uncomfortably. You lift your head from his shoulder, squinting through the midday sun to try and work out what he saw. Rika is being cuffed several feet away, and past the shine of her hair you can see the most disgusted expression you've ever seen on her face, aimed right at you. You dismiss it, it's not a big deal, and turn your attention to Ray, gently coaxing him to look at you instead. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"It's alright," you tell him, resting your forehead against his, "She can't do anything to either of us anymore. Once the elixir has worn out she won't have a hold over any of us, and then we can focus on recovering, yeah?" </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, yeah okay." he swallows thickly, and you let the hand you'd placed on his cheek slide down to the fluttering pulse under his jaw as you rest your head on his shoulder again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Come on, I'll take you back with me," Saeyoung says from somewhere behind you, and Ray's grip loosens back into comfortable levels as he follows Saeyoung to his car. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Sit in the front with Saeyoung," you tell him as he settles you into the car, "talk to him about what happened." </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you'll be okay?" he asks, strapping you in despite your protests about being able to do it yourself.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"I'll be fine, and it's not like you won't be able to check on me if you need to. Besides, the headache is almost gone now." He concedes with a sigh, gently shutting your door and sliding into the front seat besides Saeyoung. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"They only want the two of you in for long enough to receive statements from you, but I haven't been able to work out what exactly they want from you afterwards." Saeyoung says, smoothly pulling out after one of the police cruisers. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Do they actually know who you are?" you ask him. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Well, no, but my cover story from the agency is always that I'm a private detective. I have the skills for it and they've given me a fake identification card in case I ever get caught doing agency business that I may have used to bluff my way into being a part of the rescue team."</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>"Am I going to have to pose as Saeran?” Ray asks quietly, and you very suddenly remember that he isn’t actually Saeyoung’s twin.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They don’t know how you act, so no,” Saeyoung tells him, “but you will have to respond to his name. I’ve already shown them a copy of your identification, it’s how they allowed me to go straight for you without fussing me.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But… there aren’t actually any legal records of you. How did you prove we- you were related to this body?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Funny story actually,” The entourage merges with the main road with ease, and Saeyoung follows, waiting for another police cruiser to pull around him before properly rejoining the cluster of cars, “The agency thought it would be funny to have my PI ID have ‘Choi’ as the surname. I’ve had to explain that it’s just a coincidence that my name is the same as the Prime Minister’s several times to several different people already in the last few days.” You snicker to yourself, shoulder pressed against the window. Ray says something that you don’t catch, your moment of clarity swimming away from you as the drug clings to your system, and by the time the car around you focuses again someone has put on the radio, and Ray is skipping all the news channels to find some music. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you log into the chatroom?” he asks, and you mumble some sort of response, taking your phone when he passes it back to you. It takes a few blinks for the screen to come into focus, and you’re bombarded with messages the moment you open the chatroom. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has entered the chatroom, 12:48</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Five!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You’re okay!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     We were just talking about when you were going to get back online</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Any updates yet?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Seven came to pick us up, we’re on the way to the station for questioning</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Hopefully we won’t be kept in too long</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     How’s Saeran?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He’s doing okay</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     At the moment</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     …?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Seeing the Saviour earlier almost sent him into a panic attack</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I don’t think questioning is going to go any better</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Well I hope he’ll be alright</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Not just because he’s Seven’s brother</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Yeah, I do too</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     We aren’t going to be separated, but I don’t know how much that will help if something happens</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’m sure it’ll help a lot</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You’re a calming presence</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     If you and Six hadn’t been around for the fundraiser I’m sure the whole thing would have crashed and burned</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     That was literally our job at the time</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Well yeah, but you did it better than Rika!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     And her parties were pretty much perfect</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     …</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He’s right</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Is Seven alright?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He was pretty frantic earlier</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     He’s talking to Sae to distract him from what’s gonna happen</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It’s nice to see them getting along</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Weren’t they working against each other?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Do they not hate each other????</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Not right now, it doesn’t seem</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     There might be some conflict later when he’s not so nervous about the questioning</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Hopefully it isn’t too bad</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It would be kinda sad to see them stop talking again after meeting for the first time in so long</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     If I ever met Rika again I’d hate for her to hate me to the point of us not talking</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She was always such a sweet person</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She’s not the same person anymore, Yoosung</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     The sweet person you knew all those years ago wasn’t the real Rika</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I know</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I just wish everything would go back to how it was before</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     There’s no point in wishing for the past to be your present</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     All we can do now is change our present</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Do you think…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She could ever be the same?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I doubt it</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Whatever shred of her old self is left has been twisted by her paranoia into something unrecognizable</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     What are they going to do with her?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Arrest her</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Keep her in a high security prison and give her therapy until she’s fit for normal prison where she can be visited</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     She’s too much of a liability to not be kept in isolation while she still has her Saviour complex</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Can I not see her just once?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Just to prove to myself that she’s not who I thought she was?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     That’s probably not a good idea</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     It seems more likely that she’ll try to convince you that she’s in the right, and as one of her only remaining family…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You think she’d convince me to ask for her to be let out?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Yeah</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     If she’s as manipulative as all of this has shown her to be…</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     You’re just going to get hurt if you see her again</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     If she doesn’t get her way she becomes a completely different person</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     That’ll probably hurt you more than anything else</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Okay</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Let me know how she is if you’re told though</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Please?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’ll do my best</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I can’t promise they will say anything though</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     That’s okay</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Thank you</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>505: </span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Its fine</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’m gonna try and nap the rest of the drugs out of my system</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     I’ll get in contact again when I can</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Zen:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Rest well</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yoosung:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>     Stay safe!</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>505 has left the chatroom, 1:09</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Choi. You have DID, correct?” The Officer outside the cell the two of you are in announces themselves with little fanfare, and Ray is quick to reply.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yes. My name’s Ray-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, right whatever, I want to speak to Saeran to take your testimony.” They cut him off, and you watch as Ray starts to break down almost immediately.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You can’t ask that of him,” You butt in, “He’s going to give the exact same testimony as any of the others, and he had the most experience with Rika-”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t care about what you think is right, I have clear instructions to get information from Saeran Choi.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you not think that maybe, just </span>
  <em>
    <span>maybe,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the reason it says Saeran is because that is their body’s legal name?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I cannot take a testimony from anyone but Saeran,” they repeat, and you bite down hard on the inside of your cheek to stop yourself from yelling at them. You take a short breath to compose yourself, but before you can say anything, Unknown’s jacket is dumped into your lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“It’s fine.” Saeran tells you, shoulders sloped with tired resignation, “Rika used to do it all the time, usually to kick me out. Ray’ll recover.” You don’t say anything, running your fingers over the metal of the jacket’s zip. He briefly rests his hand on your shoulder in reassurance, and then moves towards the cell’s door. “I hope you understand that I’m not going to have the full story.” He tells the Officer.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter if you have the full story or not.” They tell him, opening the door to let him out, “All that matters is that what you say lines up with what everybody else says about this situation.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, everybody but the one person most affected by this whole thing.” The Officer takes the jab silently, shutting the door behind Saeran and leading him away for questioning. They don’t say anything else to each other that you can hear over the echo of their footsteps, so you settle back into your seat, resigning yourself to waiting in silence for someone to return to take you in for questioning too. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>____</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“All this is is a quick conversation about what happened, just to make sure that we can back up everything that the others we’ve interviewed is backed up by as many others as possible,” the officers explains, and her entire demeanour makes you feel more relaxed than you had been since Seven first got you out, “I’m going to ask a few questions to prompt you along the right lines, and all you have to do is answer as truthfully as you can, okay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I doubt I’ll be able to give you much information,” you tell her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine. We don’t need loads, just enough to confirm that what others have said is true.” You nod in understanding, carefully tucking Unknown’s jacket over your shoulders as the officer drops a phone onto the table to record the interview. “This is Officer Diaz, conducting an interview with the victim’s soulmate, name redacted for their own safety. It is 2:30 exactly on the day of the rescue, and they are wearing a fantastic leather jacket.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s his, actually,” you tell her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Saeran’s? Or does it belong to one of his alters?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“His protector. Ah, we didn’t grab the other jackets on the way out... “ </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“His other jackets?” Diaz asks, and you’re grateful that she lets you follow through with the thought, rather than drawing your attention away from it. It creates a sense of normal conversation that eases your nerves better than anything else could.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, the three of them had comfort jackets that helped them feel more at home in the body when they were fronting.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure we can arrange to take the two of you out to get some more jackets once these interviews are cleared up. But on the subject of the three of them, are all three of them your soulmate?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It seems like it. I think the bond counted our first meeting as a meeting for all three of them, it sure hurt way more than everyone described it to me. When I first actually met with the others there was a similar like… connection? The same as when I first met eyes with Saeran, but on a much smaller scale.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s similar to how it was for me, y’know.” Diaz says, “my soulmates don’t have DID, of course, but every time I see them after I’ve been away for work for a long while the soulbond seems to click back into place again. How did you guys meet for the first time?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Cult induction,” you say, and then giggle, “Almost. Rika told him to induct me and my sister into the RFA, i think so she could meet her soulmates, and then me because it would be weird to leave me out of it because of how close we are. We never used to be, but she’s five years older than me, so we got over the sibling spats by the time she turned 19. I don’t know how she knew about them  being soulmates, or me and Saeran’s system for that matter. From what the rest of the RFA said she had been doing it her whole life.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Getting soulmates together?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did she orchestrate the meeting between you and Saeran?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“No, she didn’t know I was on the compound at all when it happened. Jihyun had gone down to try and talk some sense into her and I went with him to meet with Saeran, and to solidify the bond. She worked out what had happened pretty soon after, but not fast enough to stop Saeran from getting me off of the site again without being noticed.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Right. Did he tell you about any consequences for this action?”</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“No. The only thing he told me about was Rika getting suspicious because he was acting a little differently from before we met, but there was only a few days between then and Unknown coming to pick me up under the ruse of Rika’s ‘mission’ to have him take me to the compound to convert me. To be honest, I do think that she knew it was me who was changing his personality, she seemed pretty determined to put me through a Cleansing.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“A Cleansing?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know the full details, I think there are reports in the information Saeran was able to send out, but she has a… drug I guess, she calls it the ‘Elixir’, and Saeran said that it made people… go through their trauma again to come to terms with it. I guess it probably does more than that, but I never actually asked much about it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s fine. I have one final question for you, what sort of person does Rika seem like to you?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Manipulative. Maybe psychotic. She seems to have been convinced that being a Saviour is her duty, and from what I saw and have been told it seems like she would stop at nothing to get her way.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s perfect.” Diaz stops the recording and tucks the phone back into her pocket, smiling gently at you. “You did really well. Thank you for cooperating. When Saeran’s finished up, I’ll personally take the two of you out to get some jackets for him, sound good?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thank you, Officer.” You say, standing with her and following her to the door. A thought hits you before you exit through, and you hesitate before following her. “Officer, who was conducting Saeran’s interview?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“One of the newer Officers. Why? Was there an issue?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well, they forced Ray to switch out so they could talk to Saeran, despite me, him and Saeran saying that Ray knew more about the situation, just because the form they had said to interview Saeran on it.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I take it that’s considered a rude thing to do?”</span>
  <span></span><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, like telling one of your friends that you don’t want to talk to them in a situation they don’t have much control over.” Diaz nods, gesturing for you to follow her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll make sure they’re talked to about it.” You follow her across the precinct, stopping with her when she stops to exchange a few words with another officer. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Saeran is sitting by the cells, and you can tell immediately that something is wrong in the way he holds himself. You overtake Diaz to approach him, and crouch in front of him so you can see him from where his face is cradled in his hands.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you okay?” you ask.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“They… They wouldn’t tell me what’s happening…” he replies, and when he looks at you you notice that there’s something a little different in his eyes, like his pupils have been squished into a more oval shape.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Do you know who you are?” You ask, and they hesitate, then shake their head. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just that… body feels weird. And nobody will tell me what’s going on.” They look exhausted, so you move from a crouch to kneeling and draw them into a hug, letting them cling to you as you explain that they’re safe now. Diaz hovers nearby, as worried as any maternal person would be, and so you introduce her to them, and they latch onto the idea of buying jackets very quickly. When they’re a little more grounded, and actually understand what’s going on, they introduce themselves as ‘Tini’, and explain a little about the Graveyard they came from when you promise not to tell Saeran, Ray and Unknown. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The fact that they were even allowed to front at all tells you a lot about how their system is finally feeling safe enough to reveal itself in full, and although you know that there’s still a lot to do before they’re even remotely close to being able to function properly in day to day life, a small sign like this is enough to show you that it’ll all work out in the end.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>that it folks<br/>support me check out my twitter (@BamTheIdiot)<br/>have a great day<br/>dont let quarantine get you down</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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